Alaskan dog sled, 1922 (hickory)

Alaskan Dog Sled Contract mail carrier Ed Biederman (1861-1945) used this hand-made hickory dog sled for his 160-mile route between Circle and Eagle, Alaska. In 1935, after crippling frostbite forced his retirement, Ed’s son Charlie Biederman (1918-1995), took over. Charlie's days as a dog-sledding mail carrier ended in 1938. Because weight was a critical factor for the dogs, the sled mail was usually restricted to first-class pieces unless room was available for newspapers, magazines, and packages. These items were otherwise left behind until spring, when they might be transported by steamboat or wagon.